1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a apparatus for cooking meat or other items. In particular, the invention relates to a device for suspending an object to be cooked over an open fire and rotating the object while it is being cooked.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the southern part of Louisiana it is customary among the Acadian people who inhabit this region to hold festivals which they refer to as a "Cochon du Lait". At these festivals a whole pig is roasted slowly over an open fire. Tradition requires that the pig be suspended vertically above the fire. The roasting of the pig may take as long as 24 hours or more depending upon the size of the pig and the intensity of the fire. During this period of time it is necessary that an attendant turn the pig periodically to prevent the meat from being burned and to promote uniform cooking.
The pig or other animal is rotated manually by the attendant or cook throughout the cooking period. The more often the pig is rotated the more uniformly the pig will cook. Ideally the pig is rotated continuously at a constant rate. However, since the pig is suspended directly above the fire, any motors or turning devices connected to the hook upon which the pig is impaled is subjected to very high temperatures from the cooking fire. Thus any electric motor or wiring connected closely to the meat hook will be destroyed by the heat radiating from the fire.
Many devices for rotating an object being cooked are known in the art. Exemplary of these devices are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,260 discloses an apparatus for supporting a rotisserie over an outdoor open fire. The rotisserie is hung from a frame by a chain and holds the object to be cooked in a horizontal position over the fire so that the object being cooked rotates about a horizontal axis. An electric motor is connected to the rotisserie at a distance away from the fire.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,900,897 discloses a portable barbeque apparatus having a fire pan and grid frame with wheels connected to the frame for easy portability. The stand has a handle for directing the stand while transporting, and an electric motor which drives a horizontal rotisserie through a chain and sprocket transmission.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,882 discloses a barbeque oven in which is located a rotisserie which can receive a series of spits for holding varies pieces of meat on two vertical rotating plates attached to the rotisserie. The various pieces of meat travel in a circular path about a horizontal, transverse axis within the oven. The rotisserie is driven by an electric motor connected to a "V" belt and a pulley connected to the rotisserie.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,517,360 discloses a broiling device wherein meat is hung vertically to hooks arranged on horizontal discs which rotate about the central axes. A vertical, central heating element cooks the meat as the meat rotates about the central element suspended from the hooks.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,728,738 discloses a barbeque machine guarding device including a curtain which can be interposed between the fire and the meat being cooked. The meat being cooked is suspended vertically in front of an open fire place on a series of hooks which are rotated through a shaft and gear drive connected to a electric motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,612,252 discloses a barbeque device including an oven in which meats are vertically suspended or impaled. The meat suspending and impaling devices are driven by an electric motor mounted in the bottom of the oven beneath the heating elements. The heating elements are arranged vertically inside the oven.
Swiss Pat. No. 316,124 discloses a horizontal rotisserie which can be inclined at an acute angle with the ground which is driven by an electric motor powered by a battery. The angle of the spit relative to the horizontal can be varied by lowering the end of the spit along one of two rods which supports the spit.
It can thus be seen that there is a need for a cooking apparatus which can suspend meat vertically over an open fire and rotate the meat continuously while the meat is being cooked which will not be damaged by the fire over which the meat is being roasted.